Improvement in looms



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WILLIAM T.' rL-INN, or einonsone, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR To BARTON H. JENCKS, oir-SAME PLACE.

Lette/rs Patent 'Na 84,872, dated December 15, 1868..

IMPRovEMENT 1N LooMs.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same. 1

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLiAM T. FLINN, of Bridesburg, in the county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented ceitain new and useful Improvements in Looms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and ex'aet description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an isometrical view of a prisma-tie camshaft presenting four angles and four plane sides.

Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of such shait, with one picking-dog and one cam, and its hub or sleeve upon it.

Figure 3 is an end view of the cam-hub with cam attached.

Figure 4 is a similar view of one of the picking-dogs.

Figures 5 and 6 are side views of the grooved shell which is applied to the. cam-hub or sleeve.

Figure 7 is an end view of one-half of the grooved shell.

Figure 8 is a side view of the vcam-shaft, with the cams, their hubs and shells, and the picking-dogs in position for operation.

.Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several tigures.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements on looms which are -designed for weaving twilled and -other fabrics, wherein the treadles which operate the hcddles are worked automatically by lams which receive rotary and endwise sliding movements,

so as to change from one treadle to another, at proper times, and thus depress the 'treadles in regular order.

The invention also relatesv and is contined to an iniprovenient on cams which are constructed with hubs or sleeves, havinggrooves in their pcripheries, into which grooves swivel-dogs play, which dogs cause the cams and hubs to receive endwise lnotion upon their shaft during the rotation of the cams, the hubs, and the shaft.

Prior to the invention which I shall hereafter describe, looms )vhich were designed for weaving twillcd fabrics, were provided with feathered cam-shafts, upon which cams were placed that received lateral and also endwise motion, andat the same time rotary motion. Such cams were designed for operating the trcadles of. the loom, and thereby automatically moving the heddles. They were constructed upon the ends of slecvcspor cylindrical hubs, in thc periphery of which grooves, ruiming both in straight and oblique directions, were made. In these grooves worked dogs, which were allowed to swivel in lixed bearings upon the frame of the loom. Y

The shaft upon which such cams and groovcd huhs wcr`e placed was cylindrical, with feathers or key-tenons inserted into grooves made in it, which feathers were received by corresponding recesses formed in the cani-hubs. i

As the feathers upon the sha-tts were the only means provided for carrying the cams and hubs around with such shatt, and as the cams `and hubs required to receive endwiseI motion to change the cams from one j -treadle to another, it has been found that the feathers very soon wear, so as to produce backlash and lost motiou,-7 which, in loom'softhe class above referred to, will occasion serions derangement of the entire mechanism.

Other objections attend the use -of feathers with this peculiarly-constructed cam. They work loose and bind the cams andV cam-hubs; they are very expensive to apply to the shafts; they involve the necessity of nicely boring and key-seating the 4cam-hubs; and they create considerable friction and strain, especially upon the swivel-dogs used tb move the cams and hubs laterally upon their shaft.

Another objection attending the use ofthe grooved earn-hubs, was the impossibility of changing the endwise throw of thc cams without relnoving the camshaft from its bearings, slipping the cams and their hubs from 'this shaft, and introducing in their stead others, carrying a greater orless number of grooves.

This last difficulty was partially obviated by casting the fam-hubs in sections, so that the section having oblique grooves in its periphery could be removed, and other sections secured in their places.

I am aware that Roswell Starr filed an application in the United States Patent Office, inthe year 1846, which was subsequently rejected, wherein he represented and described a contrivance designed for Inoving any number of leaves of harness, for the purpose of shedding the warp in weaving any kind of fabric,

by mea-ns of vilgarating cams.

Starr applied his vibrating cams upon a shaft which, lin cross-section, was square, and moved the cams laterally by means of dogs, which run in grooves formed upon the inside of sectional'boxes, which boxes were stationary.

By means of turn-outs applied to the grooves in the boxes, and by a complex arrangement for working these turn-outs, the changes were effected. This contrivance is diiibrent in its construction and operation ti'om the circmntncntially-grooved cam-hubs, and could not bc practically used in the manner and for the purposes required for the hitter.

v The invention and improwfment which I have made consists, mainly, in so constrm-ting sliding and rotary cam-hubs which are circnmtcrclltially grooved, and the shaft which receives such cam-hubs, that the cams and hubs shall be supported at different points around the axis of said shaft, so that the resistance ofthe swiveldogs,4 in sliding thel cams laterally, shall notcause undue ii'iction nor binding, as will be hereinafter explained.

'lhc invention further consists in improving the said cams and hubs, by providing cach cam-hub with acircumfereiitially-grooved shell, which is constructed of segments or halves, and so applied to the cam-hub that the entire shell can be readily removed at pleasure, for etl'ectin g an' interchange of segments for operating different numbers or combinations of treadles, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

The cam-shaft A, which I have shown in the drawings, is constructed with enlargements, a b b, upon it, which, in cross-section, may be of a rectangular or other prismatic shape, so as to present tlat surfaces; or these enlargements may be of vany other shape diil' fel-ing from a right cylinder.

In a loom, this shaft is located transversely over the treadles which operate the heddles, and has itsend bearings in the sides of the loom-irame.

The central enlargement, a, is designed to receive two cams and their hubs, and this enlargement should be of suit-able length to allow' said cams to-receive the proper length of movement to opeate upon the required number of treadles.

The enlargements l) l) are designed for receiving upon them the picking-dogs C C, and these enlargements should be of such length as will allow the proper amount of endwise adjustment or play to be given to said arms or dogs.

These arms or dogs C C are provided with eyes through them, of a form corresponding 'to the form in cross-section of the enlargements upon which they are placed. In other respects these arms or dogs may be constructed in the usual well-known manner.

-The cams B are made ofan elliptical or other shape, with holes, y, eccentrically through them, which holes are adapted for receiving through them lugsj", shown in figs. 5 and l, which are formed on one end of each segment or half ofthe groovedshclls D D. By means of the clamp-screws h, the segments or halves are secured rigidly to the said cam.

The cam-hub c is a smooth-surface eylinderofproper diameter, which is castA with a hole centrally through it, of a size and shape corresl'ionding to the size and shape of the enlargement c upon which it is put. An end view of this cylindrical hub is shown in o'. 3, with its cam attached. Its hole should be made truly in its centre, and the sides dressed so that it will slide smoothly, and with as little friction as possible, upon the enlargement a of the shaft A.

In cast-ing this cylinder, recesses d d are. formed in that end which is farthest iiom the cam B, which rccesses are diametrically opposite each other, and of a size and shape adapted to vreceive lugs c, which are formed upon the ends of the semi-cylimlrica-l portions D D, one of which is shown in lig. T.

The semi-cylindrical portions D D are made of such diameter internally, as to adapt them to fit snugly around the hub c, and when secured to it by means of the lugs c f and screws h h, to form a shell which can be removed at pleasure, without removing the cam or its hub from the cam-shaft.

Une of the' sections D is constructed gvith straight grooves in its periphery, or grooves running at right angles to axis. The other section is constructed with obliqueI grooves in its periphery, which communicate with the straight grooves in the opposite section.

-The groovcd shells, represented in iigs. 5 and are designed for operating eight treadles, and the shell shown in 8 is grooved for operating two, four, or six treadles.'

It will be seen that by removing screws h, the segments or halves D D can be .readily detached from the earn and its hub, and other grooved segments or halves, having a greater or less number of grooves, can be substituted in their places; thus an interchange of shells may at any time be made, to snit the number of treadles to be operated, without removing either the cam-shaft or its cam and hub.

It will be seen, from the above description, that I have. an angular' or prismat-ic shaft, presenting flat surfaces, instead of a shaft of a cylindrical form, with a single narrow feather inserted into it; also a cylindrical cam-hub, which is cast with a hole through it, of such shape and size as to adapt it to fit the angular sha-ft, and to slide stezl'dily upon it in a longitudinal direction; also two grooved sei11i-cylindrical portions, which are adapted to lit upon and be secured ligidly to said cylindrical hub, thereby forming a removable grooved shell, by means of whicll,'a1xd a swivel-dog, the cam can be caused to reciprocate longitudinally, while it is turning around with its shaft.

These parts l havc constructed and combined in such manner as to preserve the general principle of operation of the icircunkierentially-grooved cam-hubs hitherto used, and at the same time to so improve this kind of cam-hub, that it is of more. practical value, and of greater usefulness.

Another great advantage attending the combination of the cam-hubs with a prismatic oem-shaft for looms is, that the cams can be adjusted and set at dilierentangles with respect to each other, and these camscan be, adjusted and set at different angles with respect to the picking-dogs, which cannot be done with cylindrieal shafts having feathers applied to them.

Another advantage attending the improved coughination is, that the cam-hubs and cams, as well as the dogs, will be supported atdiliiirent points around lthe axis ofthe shaft, and the friction will he uniformly distributed around tbe shaft, instead of being concentrated upon asingle point, as with the tfathered shafts.

Iy thus distributing the points of resistance to the turning of the cam-hub around its shaft, the wearing of the shaft and lmb will be uniform, and there will be no tendency ofthe cam-hub to tilt and bind upon its shaft; consequently there will be very little friction upon the swivel-dog in the aet of moving the cam-hub.

l am aware that square and other-shaped shafts have been long known and used in various kinds of machinery, for receiving wheels, arms, and cams, and therefore. l lay no claim broadly to an angular shaft. Nor do I lay claim broadly to a circumierentially-grooved cam-hub for loom-cams. Nor do l claim broadly such Y 11am-hub, with one movable.

I have described a shell-cam which is circumferentially grooved, and fitted to a sleeve er hub-extension, c, of the treadle-eam B, the said shell-Cain being made in two seetions or segments, iitted around said hubextension c, so as to be removable at will, withoutdisturbing the cam-shatt or the cam B.

This construction I deem the Lest, andl desire to be protected in it, under my patent, whether the shaft A be angular or other shape, and the hub c, with its cam B, be keyed to it.

I always prefer an angular shaft, A, however, for

portion of its grooved surface rethe reasons before stated; but while this is tbe fact, l

4also desire to be protected in a hub-cam, I), frooved substantially as described, and connected to a treadlecam, B, when the shaft A' presents a flat surface or surfaces against the interior or eye of the grooved shell D, to pre-vent the cam-hub from slipping around and working with .backlznsln7 or being strained out of position, such tlat surface or surfaces dispensing with the. use of a keyi And it is only when such a shaft, Af is used, in combination with a vibrating shell or hubcam, D, carrying a trcadle-cam, both of which revolving with the shaft, that I desire protection.

Having described my invention,

. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

i 1. The eireumierentially-grooved removable segments D D, constructed and applied to the hub c of the treadle-eam B, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. An angular cam-shaft, carrying' a sliding cam, having a grooved and removable shell, the shell being constructed and combined with the cam and its hub, substantially as described, and for the purpose of changing from one twill to another.

3 The combination of longitudinally-adj ustable dogs C, which actuate the pick-motion of looms, an angular shaft, A, and a longitudinally-reciprocating Vtreadlecam, and a circumferentially-grooved hub-cam, all conscribed.

iVitnesses: vWM. T. FLINN. [L S.]

STEPHEN UsTIoK, JOHN WHITE. 

